Cquartz vs. OptiCoat vs. ??? ...

sub'd as I'm considering having my wrap ceramic coated.

 

Cquartz Finest
Gyeon Mohs+
Kamakazi
Modesta

those would be my coatings to use

JC in ATL did a car with Xpel and Modesta...came out really good!

We recently did suntek full car and Cquartz Finest and it made the white paint look glossy and wet!

 

I would tell you that the polishing step is more important that the last step protection. Pic your detailer, and ask what they use and if anything is on the list, your good.

Opticoat, Cquartz, EXO v2, 22PLE pro or Polish Angel are all Amazing products that will give a DD 15-22 Months or a garage queen 3 plus years of good protection and hydrophobic action.

The Opticoat is the least slick but most protective. The others are all close.

Here are a few I did with EXO v2, 22PLE, Opticoat Gloss COat and Polish Angel Viking Coat

I am running my own unbiased comparison of what I think are top teir, do it yourself level products that offer very near, if not professional results. Polishing is the hard part not applying a coating.


http://www.autopia.org/forums/click-brag-the-detailers-showcase/181216-jeep-trail-hawk-detail-exo-v2.html?highlight=22ple

http://www.autopia.org/forums/click-brag-the-detailers-showcase/181256-22ple-detail-review.html?highlight=22ple

http://www.autopia.org/forums/click-brag-the-detailers-showcase/181035-winter.html?highlight=subaru


http://www.autopia.org/forums/click-brag-the-detailers-showcase/181545-polish-angel.html

 

whatever you put on it just make sure you know how to take care of it

 

Im not here rain on the coating parade of opticoat, but I have replaced so many opticoat jobs with a correction and coating with Cquartz Finest, its not funny. In the past, it was opticoat 2.0, now its opticoat pro, or gloss coat

I have a car coming in next week that had a correction and opticoat pro done to it about 4 months ago. It sat out in a rain storm a couple weeks ago and that rain was allowed to dry. Well, the entire car has to be polish aggressively to remove the water spotting. Sad to say, this guy paid big bucks for the PRO version, only to have it ruined by one rain storm.

Modesta
CQ Finest
Gyeon Mohs+
These would all be much better gloss, protection, depth, scratch resistance

 

I always heard that the application is far more important than the coating. Perhaps you have a few bad applicators in your area? And what about the Opticoat Pro warranty? Is it actually just worthless marketing hype?

 

I am not a professional detailer (don't make my living detailing , nor to a charge for detailing currently). But I think my skills pretty close to professional level as are my tools. I don't sell any of the product I am going to mention nor do I get an commission. I have done reviews of products, some I paid for an others I received to review. Neither effects my ability to call it like I see it but I wanted to be totally upfront and honest.

I get results I like on my cars and can duplicate it on heavily trashed cars. My skills run out at wet sanding as I have not had the need to learn that. From proper wash-> to chemical and physical decontamination to polishing from compounding stage up to a 3 step job and coating application I have no issue with at all.

I can tell you all 100% that the steps that lead up to the coating or LSP (Last Step Product) are the most important. And making the surface 100% free of any previous LSP or polishing oils is critical to the success of whatever it is that you apply on the car. Any coating can fail if the prep is not done to operating room clean standards. Any contamination can effect bonding to the factory clear coat.

Eric who posted above it among the top detailers in the US. I know of him, he does not know me. I am a detailing geek and read the blogs and forums to learn about new stuff.

Not knocking him or anyone else, nor an I saying this is the case with anyone who posted here but do your homework before you choose a coating. Get your information from a neutral 3rd party. Detailers get territories in which to sell their pro coatings. As a result they have an axe to grind. There are a lot of good products and good detailers but also some people who are less reputable and products that are lesser quality. Optimum is a leader in coating technology. I believe it was the first. Since then many, many have followed and each takes it turn on the top, but new stuff comes only with better technology. I have used Optimum and had good experience. You need match your needs, wants and expectations to the product you choose. There is not a one that is the best for everyone. You will see my thought process below.

Its up to you, or your source to find a good fit for what your looking for. Coatings have their strengths and weaknesses. For example, from my own experience with coatings I have used myself, I can tell you that:

I have had OPti-Clat 2.0 on my sons Subaru for 2 + years and it was the most protective coating to marring. Even a poor hand wash did not mar it up. He is away at school and cant be bothered with proper car care. its not as slick as the others but is the most durable. The shine and resistance to bug etching and bird bomb marks was amazing. It was the right coating for his car. Nothing sticks, tar removes easily, dirt and road grime. It went through a crazy winter in NY for the past 2 years and it came out great finish wise. In fact I applied Gloss Coat the next gen product to follow Opticoat 2.0 to his Subaru this past May. Too early to tell durability but it looks great, and appears to bead slightly better and feels a little slicker but not like some others.

I have had EXO v2 on my Daily driver for about 22 months and it was great. The most hydrophobic coating I have experienced. The water looks like it is afraid to be on the car even at low speeds. Nice slick feel and crisp reflection. Its durable but I collect some minor marring from the live of a DD in NYC. Nothing too bad and I love EXO v2. So much I put it on a Jeep I recently purchased this past May. It was a busy Memorial day weekend.

The above are the coatings I have had extended experience with.

I recently tried 22PLE on the wife's car and it was very easy to apply and looks great. Beads like crazy close to but not at EXO standards. Cant tell durability yet, but I sure looks great.

Polish Angel Viking Coat-look great. Only on 2 weeks. Looks like a wax not a coating. Some like that others don't. It beads like mad and applied either by hand or with a DA. If it lasts Ill love it just for the ease of application.

If I had to choose a coating for my limited use prized vehicle I would choose EXO v2 personally. I love slickness, I love the beads, I dry with a master blaster so the more hydrophobic the better. and it last close to 2 years on my DD on a garage queen who knows but way longer.

I have another car to coat and I looking for another coating to try so I can run my own durability test.

Do your homework and remember there are a lot of great products on the market. There are a lot of good detailing forums if you need/want an education.

Picking the wrong detailer is far worse that picking the wrong product so choose wisely.

I know a lot of Professionals who use Modesto, CQuartz Finest and Opticoat Pro (only trained professional detailers apply these) who all get great results and happy customers using these products. I just have no personal experience with them.


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I would recommend C.Quartz Finest for the highest level of gloss & protection. Plus, it's really easy to maintain.

You won't have any issues coating over the 3M film (it will help protect it from yellowing, too). Are any of the imperfections you mentioned under the film?

Finest installers are held to the highest standard in all aspects, so if you have one in your area they will surely be able to perfect the paint before coating your vehicle.

 

I agree with you, but I choose NOT to apply the pro version of opticoat, its not a territorial issue for me...just to be clear.

I am not affiliated monetarily with any coating, Ill apply whatever you want me to apply. I just have used a lot of the coatings on the market, some are better than the others, so Ill stick with what works well for me! (as listed above, or what other detailers whom I respect have used, liked, and push)

 

We all tend to gravitate to what we have had success with in the past and to products people we respect PERSONALLY endorse. It is the nature of things.

 

I have been an extensive user of OptiCoat up until they came out with Gloss Coat. I applied Gloss Coat to my Maranello and just removed it in favor of another coating. I have always been disappointed by the lack of scratch and mar resistance with the Optimum line.

I switched over to Gtechniq Crystal Serum, topped with two layers of Gtechniq EXO. It is amazing how much better of a coating it is in my opinion.

 

Gloss Coat has only been on my sons Subaru for a short time. SO far so good.

Crystal Serum is a product I own but have not applied. I heard that there were issues people had with streaking when topping with EXO so I skipped using it.

I have been happy with 2 layers of EXO so far.

Can you tell me your process for layering the CS and EXO?

Also , what color is your car?

Thanks

 

I'm looking into some of these products to protect my new wrap and have a question. Autogeek has a Cquartz kit for $100. A local shop (that does have a great reputation btw) estimates it'll cost $1000 to do my Scud. Is there really $900 in labor involved? They use the Cquartz product btw.

 

The car is Rosso corsa.
There should not be any issues layering EXO over CS. They are meant to be used together. CS is considered a "permanent" coating that is hard as a rock when applied. EXO is more of a "time limited" product. But here in the US as CS is a "professional detailer only" product, I had to pay someone else to apply it. But it goes on like any other coating. As far as layering EXO over it, you do it exactly the same as you would if the CS was not there.

 

Has anyone here used any of Ammo NYC's line? He shoot's alot of video with /Drive and I enjoy watching his detailing videos. I have a few of his products, but no experience to compare it to relative to the products mentioned above.

 

Thanks, I'd love to see some pictures of your car. Post em up here if you get a chance.

Thanks for following up

 

Larry is a very talented detailer, and makes great how to videos.

His product line is (never used it personally) I am sure great since I have nothing but the utmost respect for his skills and abilities. He's pretty OCD so he would not release a so so product.

I just have a different philosophy in car care. I am not looking for any carnauba or any wax for that matter. I am a 100% max protect coating guy. I want my car looking their best, and staying that way for the longest time. I therefore have gravitated to coatings like Gloss Coat, 22PLE and EXO v2. These are currently in my cars and I am running my own durability testing.

The ammo line of LSP are more traditional waxes and sealants.

Nothing wring with them, just not for me. It takes me so long to properly clean, prep and coat a car with any LSP so I want one that extends that period where I can just wash the car.

 

Depends on how trashed your car is.
Detailing is hard physical work....depending on paint hardness. It is also time consuming. I don't think that 1K is that far off the mark, considering that you are probably being quoted for the CQuartz "detailer only" product (Cquartz Finest) which you cannot get from consumer sites.

 

My Scud was just wrapped so the vinyl is new. Something to be said for having it done professionally I guess

 

It is not so much the labor as it is the expertise.

I can polish a car (2 steps) and coat it (talking my own cars) in 7-10 hours inside and out. Its a long day for me, I not old but not a kid anymore. How much do you want to make and hour if your doing this for someone else.

Detailers know the guys with the exotics have the coin and don't sell them selves cheap. Insurance is a big expense if you are a pro detailer.

Before I knew my way around a DA, I paid 700 bucks to have my black Infiniti M35X DD 2 step polished and waxed in 2008 bc the dealer delivered a swirlzilla of a finish I just could not drive nor could I fix myself. After that I thought I can do this and I hired a top detailer by the hour to teach me how to clay, decon, polish, and apply a coating. It was great fun and I learned all I need to maintain my own cars.

I would say I devote 1 day every 18-24 months to each car on what I call a tear down and rebuild on the finish. Just to analize the economics, If I were doing this for money(I don't) I would not do it for less than 1200-1500 bucks. Figure $200 +/- on supplies, something toward equipment / pads and chemicals, a slice of it for insurance and the detailer needs to clear a grand + for a day of bust you butt 10 hours hard labor @ 100 bucks and hour is cheap (when its my butt doing the busting) kind of pricey to pay someone else to clean my car- LOL. Funny how that sounds out loud.

All my cars are coated with semi permanent coatings so maintenance washes are very easy. Generally I get 2 cars washed a weekend when weather permits and I'm done before anyone in the house is up so I am not missed. I'm up really early for work during the week so getting up at 7AM on the weekends is no big deal.

I enjoy doing the cars myself, I get pro, if not very near professional results. I have invested in all the toys and know how to use them.

It's the season, so happy 4th of July everyone and enjoy your toys! Be careful out there.

 

I have 3 weeks up my sleeve to make a decision in regards to having Opti Coat Pro put on the daily driver.

Cost will be AU $1300.

Yes or no? Please help me decide.

Also, can I put 3M clear bra over Opti Coat? Or better to put it on first and Opti Coat over it?
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Correct paint, apply clear film the apply opticoat pro or your favorite coating. Opticoat pro is good. Make sure you have a certified dealer install. Check them on your website.

 

Car is brand new, only a few months old and 2400 miles on it.

So have clear film applied then Opti Coat Pro over the top of it.

Going to cost me $2700 then, but it sounds good to me.

Cheers mate, much appreciated.
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Enjoy it in the best of health.